Every Star a Sun
by Angerora
Summary: Obi-Wan meets a curious animal in the Room of a Thousand Fountains, and the consequences are felt throughout the galaxy. A fix-it fic.


**Hello! This was from a prompt request, and it's kinda trash but I had fun writing it so hopefully _someone_ will have fun reading it.**

* * *

Obi-Wan cannot deny that he is… Concerned, for Anakin. His padawan is strong in the Force and has his heart in the right place, but sometimes he questions if Jedi life is truly best for him. Anakin is the Chosen One, so he knows it must be so, but Obi-Wan is not blind. He knows his padawan is short of temper and incredibly sentimental, and those traits do not a Jedi make. He worries, and lately his worries have led him to the Room of a Thousand Fountains to meditate. Perhaps releasing his worry to the Force is not what he should be doing, but he doesn't know what else to do. Tomorrow he departs for Kamino, and so far away there is little he will be able to do regardless.

He hears an animal's whine, and something cold whuffles at his hand. Looking up from his meditation, he finds that some sort of animal has managed to find him. White fur, four legs, a fluffy tail, golden eyes. The jaws of a predator; but it seems entirely domestic and he senses nothing but curiosity from its presence, so he slowly reaches up to give it a scratch behind the ear. The creature's eyes close in pleasure and it leans in to the touch like any mammalian pet. "Now, how did you manage to get in here?"

It blinks at him, head tilting to the side as though trying to understand what he means, and Obi-Wan chuckles. It's surprising, how a simple animal has managed to lift his spirits so quickly. Though it really should not be here, in the heart of the Jedi Temple… Was it brought here by another Knight? Or did it somehow sneak in on its own, in search of food? If so, it says troubling things about the state of Temple security. But one way or another, the animal is already here. Surely it can't hurt to let it stay with him for a while?

They say that talking about your worries can help you move past them, and normally he would have no one but to Force itself to release them to. But, he thinks as the animal curls up next to him, perhaps it would not mind listening. "You know, I don't know what I'm going to do with my padawan," he starts, gently petting the animal. Its ears twitch and swivel in acknowledgement, and he continues. "He was a slave as a boy, you know, and I fear it has left him with an… Anger. An anger and frustration that no amount of meditation with the Force will free him of. Anakin is sentimental and fears the death of loved ones, and I am concerned- no, that is a lie," He grimaces to himself. "I am _afraid_ of what may happen, if he loses someone. I am afraid that if that happens before its natural time, Anakin will Fall."

Obi-Wan sighs. "We shouldn't have left his mother behind, on Tatooine. To do so was as per Jedi custom, but my padawan has never been a customary Jedi. Anakin has been suffering from visions of her death, and while the future is always changing…"

His companion suddenly gets to their feet and bounds away, and by the time Obi-Wan realizes he shouldn't have let the animal run amok in the Temple the last glimpse of white fur is already long out of sight. It's a shame they left so soon, but such is the nature of animals. He thinks nothing of it for a long time, but finds his mood is lighter for the rest of the day.

* * *

The Force may cloud itself to the Jedi, but as it grows murkier to them it grows clearer to Darth Sidious. He knows the boy can be swayed because he has seen it, has already seen the Chosen One fall to the Dark Side. It is set in so many possible futures that the Dark Lord of the Sith is certain that at this point he could sit back and do nothing: The foolishness of the Council will turn the young prodigy against them on their own.

But sitting back and doing nothing is not the way of the Banite Sith. Doing nothing leads to stagnation, to weakness! It is the very same mire the Jedi have always sunk themselves in, and it will be their downfall. Soon. Soon, all of his machinations will finally come to fruition… He has planned and prepared for every player, every motive, every setting.

Which is why it is so concerning, when the Force begins to show him visions of a white beast covered with red warpaint, a strange disk trailing fire of every color floating just above its back. Golden eyes bore into his own with an intensity that manages to make him question if it isn't just a vision, but the beast itself hunting his presence through the Force. It never moves to attack him, never makes any sound at all, only stares him down with eyes like fire. It sets the Sith Lord on edge: Animals would growl to ward off larger predators or establish dominance. They would show hostility and attack if pressed, or if the rival beast was of equal or somewhat lesser prowess. These were behaviors he had seen over and over, in both mindless animals and galactic politics.

But carnivorous animals were only ever so silent when they hunted. As Chancellor Palpatine there were many who thought he was sniveling prey, only to find that he was a much higher on the food chain than they. But this creature stalks his visions and he knows it hunts _Sidious_ , and he does not know if it is a fool or not to do so. It is a complete unknown, a variable unaccounted for in his grand scheme, and for the first time since slaying his old master he is unsure of his course.

* * *

Shmi Skywalker-Lars does not know how long it has been since she has been here, tied to a rack in a Tusken Raider encampment. But it has been too long. Long enough to know that no one is still looking for her, long enough to know that she will die here. She hopes it will be sooner rather than later and it seems that it will be so; she can feel what little strength she has left draining away with each passing hour. It will not be long, now, she thinks, but that is alright. She came much farther in life than she ever could have expected, and will die a free woman with a loving husband and a Jedi- _Jedi!-_ son.

What little light reaches the inside of the hut begins to fade, and she somehow knows she will most likely not survive the night. Darkness comes and with it the sand people home from the hunt, the sound of their massiffs growling and children playing filtering through to reach her ears. Occasionally the strange harsh braying of Tusken can be heard, but for the most part the adults are silent. But then she hears something strange, a keening howl. She does not know what manner of creature the sound belongs to, but it stirs something in her she'd thought was all but dead.

When the howl fades to nothing, the camp is completely silent. Light fills the hut, sudden and bright, and now the sound of sand shifting softly reaches her. Footprints approaching her, but too small to be a Tusken and too soft to be a massiff.

White fur is the first thing she notices, too fine and soft and clean to be any beast from the desert. To be anything from Tatooine. It's surreal, the beautiful creature that walks up to her with mournful golden eyes and nuzzles her wrist with a whine. And then the straps binding her suddenly _aren't_ and she falls, only to be caught by soft white. The creature carries her outside and she is _dead_ , Shmi knows she must be dead.

She is dead because night had only just fallen, and yet both of Tatooine's suns are at their peak in the sky.

The Tuskens all lie on the ground, arms outstretched in reverence and fear; their massiffs watch with lolling tongues. It's the last sight Shmi sees before she gives in to exhaustion.

* * *

Anakin is on his way to rescue his mother when he feels a _tug_ on the Force itself and suddenly _the suns have risen._ He slams the brakes and stares at the sky in shock and disbelief. It was deliberate, that he could tell… But what in the _galaxy_ had that kind of power…?! He's torn between continuing his ongoing rescue or immediately contacting the Council when something blinding white streaks past his speeder.

It goes past him quickly enough to be a speeder, but when he reaches out with the Force it feels like he's been kicked in the chest: It's an _organic,_ not a speeder, and _they have his mother._

He turns around and races after them, relieved to find that they're going at a pace he can easily match. And even if he fell behind, there was kriffing _pooten grass_ sprouting behind them. Anakin had never placed much faith in the stories of gods and trickster-heroes he'd been told as a boy, before he'd been taken in by the Jedi, but… Either this being was a ridiculously powerful Force-user, or they were a god. They _must_ have been responsible for the suns, if they could make fully grown plants appear with so little effort. And _Sith,_ how had they known to save his mother? _Why?_

They make a turn behind a spire of stone, and when Anakin makes the turn himself a ship unlike any other he's ever seen comes into view. He's almost unsure of what _kind_ of ship it is, because it looks an awful lot like some of the primitive boats he's seen. But Tatooine is far from a water world and the ship is obviously metal, so in theory it could very well be a space-worthy vessel. He has no idea how it would actually leave the atmosphere, or even the _ground,_ but for a moment his mind wanders to ways to get a better look at the nuts and bolts of such an interesting design.

As he gets closer he realizes the ship is hovering several feet above the ground. The white being carrying his mother is just about there, now, and a _rainbow_ extends from the ship's door as it slides open. They leap onto it without hesitation and ascend, disappearing into the doorway; the rainbow stays extended in invitation. Anakin only takes a moment to consider that it could be a trap before rushing in: If this _being_ could change the rotation of the _kriffing planet_ on what seemed to be a whim, they could kill him without needing such an elaborate setup.

And besides, since when had Anakin Skywalker been one for caution?

The interior was cavernous, probably made for show rather than function. A center platform hung suspended by several wide walkways, each branching out to one of several doorways. Blue vein-like bands wrap and wreathe and pulse in strange designs on the walls, and Anakin wonders if they're for show like the cavern or serve as some sort of energy supply.

A bark grabs his attention and turns it to the closest walkway on his right. There stands the creature, tail wagging, no longer carrying his mother. They bark again, jumping a little in what he could only guess was an invitation to follow, and then race off through the door the walkway leads to. Anakin runs after them, not hesitating to jump with them onto that strange glowing pad in the center of the chamber. A strange sensation runs across his own being, and for a moment he knows he is _everywhere_ and _nowhere_ and then it passes and he finds himself with the white creature in yet another chamber.

In the center of this one there is a cylinder of metal, a light blue holo that appears to be a control panel projected onto its surface. He can't read the characters scrolling on the screen, but when he glances at the white being and sees they no longer carry his mother it's easy to connect the dots. "My… My mom's in there?" His voice is hoarser than he would like, especially in front of such a powerful stranger, but he can't bring himself to care.

"That she is, mon ami." The voice comes from behind him and he turns around to see a human with golden hair and strange clothing in various shades of pink and purple. "Submerged in the most potent bacta in the galaxy. Two or three days from now your mother will be as healthy as you, non?"

Anakin stares. The most potent bacta in the galaxy is hoarded by its makers. Even getting them to export the lowest-quality batches costs a _fortune_ … You could buy a planet for the mid-tier stuff! The man winks. "So long as you don't look too closely at the legality of ma chèrie's activities, we'll call it even. She is such a bleeding heart…"

The white-furred creature barks indignantly, and the man laughs. "Ah, the lady demands her introduction! My furry friend here is Amaterasu, Goddess of the Sun." The man laughs. "Or at least, that was what she was called before you humans discovered there was more than one. It would probably be more accurate to call her a goddess of _suns_ , but the former rolls off the tongue better, non?" The padawan does not believe in gods, he never has. And yet… A being who can change the rotation of a planet might as well be one. And he certainly should not disrespect those who saved his mother's life, until they tell him what they ask in return.

He blinks, and when his eyes open his brows furrow. He doesn't know how he missed it, earlier, but Amaterasu _isn't_ pure white: Faint pink swirls mark her sides and eyes, and a circle is emblazoned on her forehead. _Like a sun,_ he thinks. It must have been the harsh natural light of Tatooine that hid them outside.

Unsurprisingly, there is protocol for Jedi meeting 'gods'. Plenty of cultures had community leaders who were thought to be the incarnations of gods, and if he had actually paid attention to these particular lessons in diplomacy then maybe he would know what to do. So he follows his instincts and turns to face Amaterasu, dipping into the same bow he uses for showing respect to Jedi masters. "Thank you, Amaterasu."

He just _knows_ Obi-Wan would be smacking him upside the head if he was here. The maybe-god considers him for a moment, then inclines her head towards him in acknowledgement. It's almost regal looking, but she ruins the moment at the last minute with a large, tongue-lolling grin.

Two days later Shmi Skywalker-Lars is released from Amaterasu's care, healthy as can be. Anakin keeps waiting for her to name her price. There _must_ be a price, there's _always_ a price, but the man-Waka, he's learned by now- merely laughs at him when he asks. "Ma chèrie asks for nothing more than your prayers, for you to keep her in your thoughts." At the time he thinks Waka means that the price will be a political favor, winning over the Jedi Order for some cause in the future.

(It is only much later, when he is desperate and the promises of the Dark whisper sweetly in his ear, that he realizes what Waka really meant.)

* * *

When he returns to the moisture farm with his mother, Padme arranges for the entire Lars family to be moved off of Tatooine and rehomed on Naboo. He can rest easy, knowing they will never have to fear the Huts or the Tusken Raiders again.

After a moment of consideration, Padme finds herself ordering a little extra food than she needs for dinner. She really shouldn't, she knows, but the stray that always follows her to and from the Senate Plaza seems to have become part of her routine. The white animal may be large enough to be dangerous, something she should discourage from following her around, but she feels more relaxed with it around.

It's borderline stupidity, she knows; the animal could very well be some trained beast scoping her routines out for a bounty hunter. Why else would a random animal seek a _senator_ out to accompany? Especially one so _clean_ and healthy in appearance, despite how hard life is for those who eke out a living on Coruscant's streets. And yet, despite knowing that, its presence makes her feel _safe._

She holds out a bit of grilled protein for her shadow and it delicately takes the food from her hand, and Padme likes to think that it is being careful not to accidently nip her hand before chowing down. A happy whine and wagging tail is her reward for the small kindness of a treat, and somehow she _knows_ that this creature means no harm.

When Anakin's padawan is accused of terrorism, Obi-Wan does not know what to do. It's obvious to him that Ahsoka is innocent, and yet… The Council has grown jumpy and suspicious, and he knows that unless hard proof can be found that she is indeed innocent of the crime, they will judge her guilty. That he and Master Plo Koon are on the jury will not be enough to save her from expulsion.

And he shudders to think about handing her over to the Republic.

He needs to meditate. He needs to release all of this negative energy to the Force, because he knows that losing his temper at the trial will do nothing but hurt her case, and he finds himself walking to the Room of a Thousand Fountains. The soft burbling of water does little to soothe his nerves, but he finds a vacant bench and sits down to begin.

But it seems his mind will not obey him, and instead of clearing itself it dredges up things he would rather not think about. It reminds him of the time Anakin came to him, when he was still his padawan, and confessed that he had lied. That the idea of his mother dying on Tatooine had shaken him so badly he had snuck back to rescue her, that if she hadn't been saved he probably would have lost control of his anger and killed every Tusken he could find.

And then he had begun to speak of a being who wore the guise of a white four-legged beast, who could command the solar cycles of planets and make plant life grow by just touching the ground. Who had apparently known that Anakin's mother had been taken, and saved her herself. Obi-Wan had told him that perhaps he'd accidently gotten one too many faces full of fumes. But oh, how wonderful it would be to have a miracle worker like that right about now.

Something familiar and cold whuffles at his hand, and he unthinkingly moves to pet the furry white creature. Strange, he thinks, that it's still here. It's been quite a long time since the last time he was in the Room of a Thousand Fountains, and Obi-Wan would have thought the animal would have been removed from Temple grounds by now. Perhaps they let it stay because of the calming effect petting it seems to have, regardless of how fond it seems to be of disrupting meditation… After all, its presence had been soothing the last time he'd been here, when he had been worrying over Anakin's situation with Shmi.

His hand stops mid-stroke, and the animal's golden eyes watch him with eyes a little too bright. The last time he'd been here, he had told Anakin's problem to a white quadruped with golden eyes… And then shortly after the problem had apparently been solved in a spectacular fashion by a white quadruped with golden eyes. Obi-Wan knows he can be dense, on occasion, but he knows how to connect the dots. "Your name wouldn't happen to be Amaterasu, would it?" The edges of _her_ mouth draw back in a grin, her expression saying as clear as day that _it's about time, silly Jedi._

"You have my gratitude for helping Anakin." The Negotiator does not know what this being could possibly want in return, but it seems from her happy bark that his thanks is enough to satisfy her. An idea begins to take root in his mind. Surely it could not hurt to ask? He knows may be unwise to press his luck with a being of such apparent power, but he doesn't think he'd be able to look Anakin in the eyes again if he passed this opportunity. "But there's another matter that has come up, if you wouldn't mind looking into it?"

* * *

The trial of Ahsoka Tano is over even before she's brought into the room. The Republic wants her head, and the Jedi Order is so jumpy that they immediately condemn her on the slight suspicion that she is the culprit. Her hope and faith in everything she's ever known shatters as not one but _two_ Jedi Masters side openly against her, as Skyguy protests in vain, as Master Obi-Wan and Master Plo sit back and do _nothing._

She's trained and fought and bled and killed for the Republic, for the Jedi Order, and they're just… Going to let her die? She's innocent! She would _never_ bomb the Temple! Do they really believe that she would do such an awful thing? That she was capable of that? Ahsoka knows that she's picked up a few bad habits from her master, that she's a bit more reckless and sentimental than a Jedi should be, but she would _never_ betray them! But apparently they believe that she would, because they betray _her._

The sentence is exile from the Jedi Order, and for a moment it feels like the world has stopped and she can't breathe and oh, _Force,_ they're going to kill her. The Order she loves is going to hand her over to the Republic and they are going to kill her, and in death she will forever be known as a traitor.

As the platform descends and one of the guards reaches for her padawan braid to rip it off, only to be pushed to the ground by what appears to be a sudden Force push. Ahsoka's eyes flick to Anakin, thinking for a moment that maybe he was foolish enough to _really_ lose his temper at the verdict. But she's wrong, it's someone else entirely.

A _roar_ alerts her to the newcomer to the room: The white creature stalks forward, tail lashing, golden eyes focused intently on Grand Master Yoda. The Masters are all in shock, except… Obi-Wan is watching them without an ounce of surprise, a spark of mischief in his eyes. The beast growls, showing its teeth, and the Negotiator turns to Master Windu with a smirk. "Well, now, it seems the fine Lady Amaterasu would like to protest our ruling. I think it would perhaps be in our best interest to reconsider, don't you?"

Master Windu practically growls back. "What is the _meaning of this_ , Obi-Wan?"

"I don't know what you mean, Master Windu. I simply think it would be wise to hear what she has to say." Though he cannot deny that he worries about what will happen if anyone attacks his newfound friend, and he knows the repercussions he will likely face for this stunt, the relief that she actually deigned to help him makes him bold. "After all, she did break through Temple security to be here. Either it is important enough to warrant the risk, or she is not someone to be crossed lightly."

Amaterasu seems to lose interest in the argument breaking out amongst the Council members, eyes now fixed on a dumbstruck Anakin. His blue eyes can't seem to decide on who to stare at: The stranger Obi-Wan seems so friendly with, or Obi-Wan himself. They settle on Obi-Wan, eyebrows creased in thought. It seems that the intruder isn't happy with him ignoring her, though, and she bounds over to jump up and paw at his robe. She barks, tail wagging, completely oblivious of the chaos around her as she demands attention from the Jedi Knight.

From here, Ahsoka can't tell if the being doesn't realize the mess she's just made or if she simply doesn't care. It's not like a stranger bursting in at the last minute will have any impact on the ruling, not if the only thing that stranger seems to care about is getting her master's attention. Ahsoka's eyes fall to the floor. The only thing this will possibly lead to is trouble for Master Obi-Wan, since it's fairly obvious from the show he's putting on that he's responsible. Maybe Anakin will get in trouble, too, since it seems like he knows this Amaterasu.

"Wait." Anakin's voice cuts across the arguing Jedi Masters, and when she looks up she sees he now holds a cylinder tube tied with red ribbon. "Amaterasu can't talk, but she brought something in writing."

The Grand Master exhales. "Here it, we will. But likely to change our ruling, it is not."

Anakin bows formally, then unrolls the _paper scroll_ as its apparent author moves to sit next to Ahsoka. " _It has become apparent to Amaterasu, Goddess of the Sun, that the Jedi Order has lost its way. Ahsoka Tano, padawan to Anakin Skywalker, is hereby judged innocent of her crimes and declared under the protection of the goddess. Should she feel unsafe in her current position with the Order, she and any who wish to follow are offered sanctuary and tutelage._

 _"In addition, it is the will of the heavens that Jedi Order must end the Clone Wars and pressure the Republic to grant freedom to the Separatists. The clone slaves are to be freed. They will be paid for every week of their service, and the payment that would have gone to those now deceased will be divided amongst their comrades. Failure to comply will result in forfeiture of the right to occupy holy grounds and swift action from the goddess and her servants. It is disappointing that the Jedi have allowed themselves to be so easily manipulated by the Sith Lord."_ Anakin clears his throat, looking visibly unwell. "It's signed by Tao Master Waka and a pawprint."

All of the Masters present are silent, and Obi-Wan in particular looks almost sick. The others seem to think the demand is ridiculous: All they see is an animal that their fellow Master tried to use to his advantage. Master Windu looks at Obi-Wan, his expression hard. "What _is this,_ Kenobi? Just what are you trying to pull?"

Grand Master Yoda nods, eyes narrow. "Dangerously close to treason, you are."

A gust of wind buffets the two, and everyone in the room save for Anakin and Obi-Wan freeze. There's no explanation for it but the Force, but no technique the Jedi know can create wind. Only one being in the room is not a Jedi, and it means that she is not the merely smarter-than-average beast they thought she was. Amaterasu snarls at the Masters. _I am the agent of my own will,_ her behavior seems to say.

"Why are you here, Lady Amaterasu?" Master Plo speaks up for the first time, and when those golden eyes turn to the Kel Dor their owner visibly relaxes. The goddess takes a few steps towards the Master's seat and _woofs,_ then bounds over to Ahsoka and circles her once before barking at him again. He nods as though he understands. "You ask a great deal of the Order, but would you be satisfied for the moment with Padawan Tano being cleared of all charges?" She regards him for a moment, ears twitching, and then barks happily with a wagging tail.

Master Windu leans forward in his chair, eyes sharp. "And if we do not change our minds on the ruling?" He asks, and Amaterasu blinks at him before a _bomb appears out of thin air._ There's no time to do anything about it before it explodes with a whistle and a _bang,_ and suddenly everyone in the room finds themselves showered in confetti. The perpetrator grins for a moment before yawing, seemingly indifferent to the tension in the room.

It was a display of prowess, and everyone is acutely aware of it. Summoning wind is one thing, can be waved away as a foreign Force technique. But… Creating a _firework_ out of _nothing?_ It reminds her of Mortis, and Ahsoka feels cold at the memory. But she can't deny that the supposed goddess seems to be putting her wellbeing before anything else, which is honestly more than she can say for anyone else in the room other than Skyguy.

Yoda seems to have aged another hundred years. "Reconsider, we will. A guarantee of change, however, this is not." Amaterasu's tail wags and she barks happily before disappearing as suddenly as she came.

The next day, Barriss Offee is found tied with vines to Anakin's speeder.

* * *

Later that week, Senator Amidala of Naboo introduces legislation to the Galactic Senate calling for the rights of sentient clones to be recognized under the law. It addresses the mess that the majority of the senators value their jobs too much to touch, about the ethics and morality of using clone troopers to fight the war, and naturally cannot be allowed to pass.

Darth Sidious decides it is time the Supreme Chancellor paid a visit to Senator Amidala. The woman was troublesome enough that were it not for her integral role in manipulating Skywalker, he would have had her killed a hundred times over by now. It seems she is one of only a few handful of senators who are too sharp for their own good who will not be willfully blinded by credits or pretty lies, so he likes to keep an eye on her.

"Hello, my dear," He opens the door to her office with a carefully-crafted smile, but stops dead as soon as he sees Amidala. A small ottoman sits next to her desk, and upon it sleeps the _demon._ The witch's fingers absently stroke its white and red fur, curling in it as she looks up from her work to see him. It takes every ounce of self-discipline he has not to cut off her head right there and then, and the golden eyes of the beast whip up in response to the faintest whiff of hatred that escapes his mental shielding.

"Chancellor." Her voice is curt and barely civil, and it grates on his ears. "To what do I owe the pleasure?" She should be _groveling_ before him, begging for mercy she will not receive, will _never_ receive—

Palpatine's mind grinds to a halt as the beast's fur beings to rise in aggression. It yawns and somehow he _knows_ it is not merely yawning, but showing off its perfect rows of sharp teeth in the most casual way it can. It is warning him, warning him as it would a creature far lesser than itself, _mocking_ him. But he is not afraid, he _cannot be afraid_. Fear is below a Sith Lord, when emotions like anger and hatred are so much more potent. So what if it can tell that the smiling face of Chancellor Palpatine hides a much more sinister being? It is an _animal!_

It takes more effort than it should and he _hates_ the beast for it, but he maintains his smiling mask as he moves to take the seat across from the troublesome Senator of Naboo. "I wasn't aware we allowed animals free reign of the senate. Shouldn't that _creature_ have a leash and muzzle?" The beast's lips curl in distain, as though it has just been offered a rotting piece of flesh.

Amidala's eyebrows come together in a furrow and her demeanor somehow manages to grow colder than it already is. " _Amaterasu_ is a dear friend of mine, Chancellor, and I would ask that you treat her with the respect she deserves."

The beast is _friends_ with his sacrificial lamb. He wants to grimace, because his plans will grow marginally more troublesome now that he must use Kenobi instead… But the woman has grown to be more trouble than she is worth, and so she will die the moment the beast who stalks his visions leaves her side. He has no doubt that _Amaterasu_ has a keen affinity for the Force, because how else would it sense that he is not what he appears to be? Not even _Yoda_ can tell, and yet this dumb animal threatens his entire scheme!

With Amidala out of the picture, surely it would cease to skulk about…

* * *

The next morning, the holonet _explodes._ The Supreme Chancellor is in urgent care, and though the details are under lock and key the speculation runs rampant throughout the galaxy. All anyone seems to know for sure is that he lost an arm during a terrorist attack, and that the man will likely never go on a walk alone at night on Coruscant again.

Weeks later, blurry images of a man in a pink shirt and what appears to be a teal lightsaber begin to circulate in earnest. There's no proof of guilt, though, and Tao Master Waka denies that he would ever draw his beloved 'Pillow Talk' on an innocent.

Darth Sidious changes tactics when it comes to Senator Amidala, more wary than ever of the golden eyes that follow him. She will live, _for now._ Until her death becomes worth the trouble.

* * *

By some miracle the bill passes, and the clones are free. Most choose to remain in the Grand Army of the Republic, but enough leave to deal a blow to the war effort. Count Dooku sees an opportunity and the Separatists make an offensive push all the way to _Coruscant._

Anakin knows his retirement from the Jedi Order grows ever closer, his desire to leave growing every day, but now isn't the time. Not when the enemy is in the space over Coruscant, the heart of the Republic, looming over everyone he cares about except for his mother. And that is how he finds himself on the Separatist flagship, with his brother unconscious and his friend held captive and a Sith at his mercy.

"Good, Anakin, good! Kill him. Kill him now." Palpatine's voice is calm as Anakin stares down Count Dooku, two lightsabers at the Sith's throat. Anakin knows he shouldn't. He _shouldn't,_ because Dooku is down both hands and there is fear and panic in his eyes and it is not the Jedi way. But Obi-Wan is lying unconscious and half-crushed beneath a slab of metal on the other side of the room, and doesn't the Chancellor know best? " _Do it,"_ the Chancellor commands again, and this time Anakin closes the gap between the sabers in his hands almost entirely out of reflex.

But the Count's head does not hit the floor. At least, not disconnected from his body.

Amaterasu snarls at him, angry in a way he's never been on the receiving end of. Her fangs are bared at him, red-swirled fur standing on end as she stands protectively over the fallen Sith. It's a shock to be on the other side of her fury, but at once he understands. He understands in the same way that he knew he shouldn't have listened to the Chancellor's order to kill. _You do not kill an opponent who can fight no longer,_ she seems to say. _It is sinful._

He immediately sheathes the lightsabers in his hands and bows. "My apologies, Amaterasu. I confused my duty to the Order with my duty to the Republic."

The goddess seems satisfied by his apology, but her hackles do not lower. Instead, she turns her rage on _Palpatine,_ who looks as though he has seen his own death. This time she does not growl, makes no sound at all as she leaves her protective stance over Dooku and begins to circle the cuffed Chancellor in a way that Anakin can only describe as predatory. It's behavior he's never seen from her, and he has difficulty coming to terms with this side of Amaterasu being brought out by his friend.

But then, Padme had never liked him either…

The first seeds of doubt begin to take root in his mind.

* * *

Anakin weighs his options: On one hand, the Chancellor has just offered to give him the power to save Padme in exchange for becoming his apprentice as a Sith. On the other, Amaterasu has offered a guarantee of safety for his wife and their child, asking that in return he resign from the Jedi Order and make his own way.

It's a stupidly easy choice.

Had it been anyone else making the offer, he would have immediately been wary. He was planning to leave the Order anyway after the war; who would make such an offer unless there was some kind of catch? That's all his life has boiled down to over his years: Choices so obvious they aren't even choices, with catches to them that never cease to haunt him. Trading slavery for life in the Order, only to find that the Order is just another _kind_ of slavery.

He'll miss Obi-Wan, if the Jedi Master stays behind, but even Anakin can see how the man's faith in the Order has been shaken by the war. By the war, by the choices the Republic has made over the course of it, and by the way the Jedi Order has allowed itself to bend its tenants to them. Of course, he might stay to try and make things right…

But either way, it's clear that the war will be over soon. The Republic won't need the Hero Without Fear anymore, and a few weeks without him won't sway the tide much either way. As far as Anakin is concerned, leaving the Order and its war at this point is a fair price to pay for his family's safety.

First, though, he needs to take care of a Sith Lord.

* * *

The last thing Darth Sidious sees is a pair of golden eyes.


End file.
